Cherish
by mikuridaigo
Summary: Francis lost someone important to him, now he's going to watch as England loses a loved one just a well. Parings: FrancexAmerica, AmericaxEngland, mentions of JeannexFrance. FrancexEngland for angst
1. Prologue

Cherish

Prologue

Dragging his feet to the murder scene, Francis's tears poured slowly to her ashes. He finally dropped down to his knees at the stake, where they burned her, where they murdered her. Francis dug through her remains, trying to find some part of her that was not ash. All that remained was her cross… and a rose petal. More tears cascaded out, realizing that if he was just a bit faster, he could have saved her, he could have protected her.

No.

If he was more conscious, more alert and listened to the warnings, none of this would have happened. Francis Bonnefoy could have protected her, but yet he couldn't.

The French man thought he was alone until footsteps could be heard walking through the rubble. A hand rested on his shoulder. He expected the person to be one of her family members, until the voice spoke. "I'm so sorry."

Francis didn't turn around and instead growled in anger. "What the hell do you want, Arthur."

The English man was surprised Francis didn't call him in the French term, but at the moment it didn't matter. "I-I saw what happened… but you had to understand we had to-

A hand gripped his collar and Arthur's body was slammed into the stake. "You HAD to?! What the hell do you mean you had to?!"

Arthur struggled through the grip, but managed to speak. "I-I mean my boss said to! I had no choice, you have to understand!"

"Oh I understand! I understand that the British enjoy killing the loved ones!"

"Don't blame my whole country! And what do you mean loved one? She was just a soldier!"

That hit it. Francis slammed him harder trying to hold back a punch that was supposed to hit him. "She wasn't just a soldier! Jeanne… Jeanne was…"

The hand holding Arthur's collar loosened a bit, but not enough for the shorter man to escape. Looking into the French man's eyes, Arthur could tell what Jeanne meant to Francis. She was more than a soldier; she was his love, his _lover_. "Francis… it wouldn't have worked out."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Your love for her… we're not even human, but she is. Even if she didn't die, you two could never be together." Arthur tried to explain without hurting his enemy more. It wasn't working.

"You don't know that."

"Yes I do!"

"How?! You never loved anyone like I have!" What he said was true. Arthur never had anyone, or anything he held or cherished so closely, and least not yet. Finally, Francis let Arthur loose and didn't even attempt to hurt him. "One day Arthur, you'll understand what it's like to lose someone you love, and I'll be there to make sure it happens."

Arthur brushed the ashes off his collar. "Is that a threat?"

"And if it is?"

There was silence between the soldiers, and awkward silence that spoke for itself. Arthur was the first to start walking, and as he turned away he said, "We'll see about that."

* * *

Author's Note: Okay, my first attempt at a real Hetalia fanfiction. Truthfully, this is my first try for an angst fiction, and hopefully it goes well. Please don't hurt me for the poor characteristics of France and England! But remember, Franc did lose someone dear to him during that time, and England's turn is coming up. Please ignore any spelling and grammar mistakes; I check a few times already but as a human, I may have missed a few.

I know it's short, but please, five reviews is good enough for me to continue!

Warnings: In futures chapters, there will be a bunch of time skips and historical inaccuracies. I love history, but trying to put it in a story is a lot harder than I thought. Hopefully it goes well!


	2. Chapter 1

Cherish

Chapter 1

* * *

**1773**

Though it was pretty late Francis decided to pay Arthur a visit. He expected the English man to be back at England, but apparently he was staying at his colony's home, Alfred's home. Well, it was suppose to be Alfred's home, but since Arthur technically owns him, he owns the house as well. He was about to knock when he heard some shouting. Peeking through the window, he saw the colony standing up in anger and his superior yelling back.

"Oh yeah?! This is what I think about your stupid tea!" Alfred grabbed his tea cup and the tea pot and threw it across the kitchen. After the crash he stormed out of the kitchen headed to the front door. Francis also met him as the door slammed open, the younger blonde not even bothering to welcome him.

"Alfred! Get back here and clean up this mess!" Arthur demanded trying to run after him that was until Francis stopped him.

"Just let him go."

"No! Once again he disobeyed me!" Arthur was so angry he didn't even ask why Francis was there.

Francis stopped Arthur and gently pushed him back into the house. "Here, I'll help you clean up." Francis let himself in as Arthur stared at his running colony before following inside. "Aw, this was a good pot too."

Arthur gave a sigh and bent down. "It was… why do you think that he's like this?"

The French man picked up the bigger pieces and placed them in a nearby can. "He's a teenager; they all act like this around this age."

"Yeah? Not Mathew. In fact Mathew hasn't disobeyed me once. Why can't Alfred be like him? They're twins."

Francis gave a small chuckle. "Really _Angleterre,_ how little you know of teenagers, I mean you used to be one."

Arthur didn't laugh and instead grabbed a rag to soak up the spilled tea. "That was a long time ago. And anyway, what does my childhood matter. It's Alfred's attitude that is ticking me off."

"Well… every colony does this every now and then don't they?" Francis replied simply, picking up the last of the tea pot. "Why don't you give him some space, and when he comes back don't say anything to him, just let him go to bed and forget anything ever happened."

"How the hell can I forget something like this? And besides, why would he come back?"

Francis looked outside the window to find the sun almost completely set with and most of the people going inside. "Didn't you mention he hated the dark?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, he's bound to come back. I mean where is he going to? Mathew's place is a bit far and I doubt he knows anyone else."

Arthur stayed silent.

---

That night Arthur allowed Francis to stay in the guest bedroom, still not asking why he came. Francis wasn't really doing anything, just wanted to visit a 'friend' of his and see how the colonies were doing. Mathew seemed obedient, as usual, but he was fairly impressed with Alfred's rebellion. The American boy always seemed to be the type to speak up for himself and not care what the enemy said back. No matter how small or weak he was, he would always fight back and continue on until death.

Francis smirked. Though he didn't know the colony that well, he liked him a lot.

---

The next morning Francis got into the kitchen, only to find a sleeping Arthur at the kitchen table. Seeing that he looked cold, Francis draped over his coat and nudged the English man. "Hey Arthur, its morning." Immediately the nation woke up and looked around the kitchen and scoffed at Francis. "Geez, what did I do?"

"Al…"

"Pardon?"

"Alfred? Have you seen him?"

Francis tilted his head. "I'm sorry… actually I haven't heard anything since last night."

"Bloody hell…" Arthur murmured as he searched the house. A minute later he came back, his hand on his head. "He's not here! Do you think he came back?"

"Well… maybe he did stay at someone's house. Shall we look for him?"

"Yes you wanker! Hurry!" Arthur rushed out of the house, running in all directions to find his brother. Francis sighed and left the house, making sure to close all doors and windows. Just as he was about to leave a whisper caught him by surprise.

"Is he gone?"

Francis turned around to find a dirty Alfred hiding in the bushes. "Oh! There you are you silly boy." Francis helped the younger man to his feet and brushed off some of the dirt. "What were you doing there?"

Alfred turned the other way, giving what seemed to be a guilty look. "I-I was here the whole night…"

"Eh?! The whole night?!"

"Well… not the whole night. After a couple of friend and I went to the… um… well when we were done I just hid here. I didn't want to face Arthur."

Francis was tempted to ask what where he went and with who, but he decided to let it go. "Well Arthur is gone, let's go inside and clean you up you dirty boy~" Alfred blushed at Francis' words… just like she flustered before.

---

"Jeanne! What did you do?!"

The girl laughed as she tried to wipe off the dirt. "Well, I was planting roses but I slipped and… hehe."

Francis shook his head in disbelief and took her hand. "You dirty girl, we have to clean you up."

She laughed, flustered and pulled back. "You pervert! I'm not cleaning up with you!"

Francis also blushed, realizing that she misinterpreted his saying. "N-no! I mean… just wash yourself already!"

---

Francis finally filled the wooden tub with water. "Okay, you can go in." He turned around to find Alfred still in his clothes. "We're washing you, not your clothes."

"Y-yes but…"

The French man smiled. "Aw, are you self-conscious about your body?"

"N-no! I-it's just that… eh… I'm usually with Arthur when I bathe and no one else…" Alfred's face was still pink with embarrassment as he looked the other way.

"Aw, that's adorable. Here, I'll turn around and just get in the tub." He didn't hear any argument, just clothes being stripped and someone splashing in the tub. Francis turned back and grabbed the wash cloth. "Your back is dirty, I'll clean it while you wash your face."

Alfred didn't struggle and did as told. As Francis washed his back, he noticed a few spot that seemed to be painted and scratches here and there. Seeing that Alfred wasn't answering fully to his questions he let it go and washed the paint away. The silence was broken when Alfred spoke. "Why does Arthur act like this?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean, so controlling and yet claims it is for my own good. Has he always been like that?"

Francis didn't know how to answer that fully. He was older than Arthur and didn't exactly 'raise' him like he was his own. In fact, all they did was fight and it seemed to stay that way. "I-I'm not sure."

Alfred stopped washing his face and leaned over the tub with part of his face covered by his arms. "Francis, if you were my guardian, you would understand what I'm going through, right?"

Now Francis stopped washing the boy and thought about the question, eye-widen. Well, would he? In reality, he and Arthur had one thing in common, domination of other nations. The only way they would lose that connection if the other rebelled, and everyone knew what that led to. Yet, should he lie to show that he's on Alfred's side? During this stage of life, all they want is to be told that they are right and be allowed to do whatever they wanted. Can he lie to the child?

Yes he can.

"Of course I would understand. We all go through this once in our life, right?"

Alfred turned around and smiled at the man who once tried to claim him as his brother. "Thank you Francis… you know, sometimes I wish you were my bother instead of Arthur. It makes me wonder why I chose him over you…" Alfred went back to wash himself leaving Francis in awe.

---

After his bath Alfred and Francis went back into the kitchen for breakfast. Since Arthur still hasn't arrived back Francis offered to cook. Alfred missed Fracnis' cooking, or Mathew's since they are the only two who could really cook. Placing the food on the table Alfred ate it up hungrily. Francis laughed. "Such a big appetite."

"No, I just love your cooking." Francis smiled and turned to wash the pot he used when the door slammed open.

"Francis! I couldn't find him! I don't know where- there you are you brat!" Arthur ran up to his baby brother and gave a tight hug before hitting him against the head. "Where were you?!"

"Ow! That hurt's Arthur! And anyway I was staying at a friend's place… nothing to worry about."

"Nothing to worry about?! You should have said something before running off like that! And you're still in trouble for-

Francis gave a fake cough and looked at Arthur sternly. The English man looked at Francis and figured out what he was trying to say. "I mean… just eat, we'll… talk about this later…"

The French man smiled and went back to washing the pot. Though peace was restored in the house, the battle still hasn't begun.

* * *

Author's Note: I warned you about historical innacuracies. France did not confront America about the situation, yet. Or at least I don't remember how it worked. So I hope you enjoyed the story so far, and if you noticed, it was longer than the prologue! So blah, blah, blah, ignore spelling/grammar/puncuation mistakes and please review!

So thank you all who reviewed/favorited/alerted my story. Please continue with that! Hopefully I can continue this since I'm not too familiar with the American history and it's allies.

And if you couldn't tell, Alfred went and joined in the Boston Tea Party, yay rebellion!


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